The University Honors Program is facing significant changes to its offices and on-campus housing next year as Housing and Dining moves much of the Honors program to Hughes Hall for the 2010-2011 school year.
The honors office had been in communication with Housing and Dining while deciding what would happen to their offices and housing, according to an e-mail from University Honors Program director Michael Mass to the Honors Community.
But Housing and Dining’s choice to make the housing announcement on Jan. 4 when school was not in session prevented him from getting feedback and suggestions from the broader honors community.
In the e-mail, Mass said he would have liked to have had the opportunity to consult with the Student Honors Board and other members of the honors community before the Jan. 4 housing announcement.
Starting next academic year, the University Honors Center will be moved from its current location on the second floor of Hurst to the first floor of Hughes Hall. Honors housing will be expanded to Hughes’ fourth and fifth floors, in addition to Hughes’ sixth and seventh floors that honors students already occupy. Honors students will also continue to have the option to live on the third floors of Anderson Hall or Centennial Hall, and the Anderson Honors Lounge will still be the center for South side Honors activities.
There are also plans to eventually convert Hughes’ second and third floors to honors housing as well.
Mass said he stands by Housing and Dining’s decision, but he wanted to make sure the honors community was aware of the changes brought by the housing announcement, he said in an e-mail to The Eagle.
“The purpose of [my e-mail to the Honors students] was to be sure that our honors community understood the changes and were reminded that their comments and questions were always welcome,” Mass said.
Sam Hagedorn, the Student Honors Board communications director, said he was at first taken aback by the housing announcement.
“To be honest, I was concerned when I received the e-mail from Housing and Dining that said honors would be moving to Hughes,” Hagedorn said, “It was a complete surprise, and that’s not been my normal experience with the honors program.”
Hagedorn said he is glad that Mass sent the e-mail to explain the changes to the honors program’s offices and housing.
“Dr. Mass’ e-mail answered a lot of the questions raised by the Housing and Dining e-mail,” he said. “It appears that honors [housing] is going to begin moving to Hughes next year, but the process isn’t going to happen overnight.”
Student Honors Board President Mike Roche said he is satisfied with how Mass handled the honors students’ concerns about South side housing.
Roche stands by the decisions regarding the move of Honors housing and offices, he said.
“Mass has been in contact with Housing and Dining regarding this policy and has actually helped to limit the changes we can expect next academic year,” Roche said, “This is in line with the stance [the Student Honors Board] would have taken, had we been given the opportunity.”
Executive Director of Housing and Dining Programs Chris Moody said the lack of communication between the Student Honors Board and Housing and Dining was not an issue of permission, but one of timing.
Housing and Dining got final approval for the housing plan on Dec. 4, but they did not want to send out the announcement during finals week.
Announcing these changes during winter break gave students time to consult with their parents and to make their housing plans in the month and a half before the room selection process begins.
Moody said he plans to keep an open line of communication between Housing and Dining and AU student organizations throughout the housing changes.
“We intend to continue working with the Residence Hall Association and the Honors program on the implementation and evaluation of the housing strategy,” Moody said.
You can reach this staff writer at jryan@theeagleonline.com.
